Things have been going very well with Chewbacca. I have owned him since the 6th, so 16 days and I could not have asked for more. I am continually please with Chewbacca in every way. He’s been doing wonderfully well and is learning English nicely, I am pleased all the time with the rides. Of course we have a bit of a learning curve to get over, but we’ll get there. I am so happy with him! He worked well for me on Saturday and of course, earned a few days off. I’ll ride again in a day or two, but on Sunday I visited the barn and played with him in hand. Eventually I want to do liberty work wit him, like I’ve been trying to do with Luke, and from there I’ll go into bitless riding and then from there bridleless riding. It’ll take a year at least, I expect, before I get on him with no bridle, but we’ll see how he progresses there.

The very first step was simply to play with him in a halter and have him move away, follow, sidestep with little cue. Which he did exemplary. This is all stuff he knows already. I just need to get a rope halter, I think. So then, I had laid down a tarp. Eventually my goal there is to trot him and canter him over poles with the tarp underneath. He was not thrilled about the tarp. I think I may have found one thing he is nervous about…

It took a little time, just walking around the tarp while I walked on it, but I got him to walk across it once and then after about a 10 minute recess he walked across it again and I had him walk on it and stop, which freaked him out a little. I probably shouldn’t have done that, but all in all he did great!!!

He’ll probably meet the tarp again in hand in about a week. It’ll be a few more times before I ride him over it.

I also cracked out Dixie for a drive. She’s doing great! Her scabs are healed up and look terrific. Thanks to treatments and reduction in bugs due to the weather change she’s not being chewed up anymore. She drove really well. For a little mini, she does really great in harness and is a good little driving horse. And then we worked on some tricks…

Luke did his tricks too…

First time he ever put both front feet on the stand!!!! I was glad to have the camera there when he did it!!! He’s a little too big to get all four feet on the pedestal, but I’m thrilled that he just popped up there with both front feet!!!!

After I was done working with all three individually, I turned them all free in the arena for a little ruckus time! Luke was having a blast, and Chewie got into the spirit of things and went running around playing! Dixie did her own thing, although she did run a little.

Aren’t they great?! LOL.

Oh, and it only been 16 days, but I think Chewie is gaining weight. I managed to get the almost exact-same picture for comparison’s sake……

On the left was the first day I brought him home, Aug 7. On the right was from Sunday Aug. 22. I think there’s a HUGE improvement. It’s kind of hard for me to tell if he’s looking better, just because I’m used to looking at him, so I don’t see slight changes… you know what I mean..? But seeing these two pictures lined up side by side….. It was overcast on the first photo, but still, I think his coat is shinier and he is definitely putting on some weight.

Awesome!

Trust be, by next spring, he’ll be a fat hunter with a long tail!!

Have a great day!!

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About kshai1715

I am a lifelong equestrian, photography enthusiast, sci-fi lover, and sci-fi convention & costuming geek that also loves movies and video games. I am a hard working 30 something woman that survived cancer and am looking forward to a long, healthy, self-empowered life. Welcome to my blog and I hope you enjoy reading about my horses (and the rest of my life) as much as I like writing about them.